Premier holds crime imbizo

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli asked students at TVET colleges to help fight crime because they are also part of communities.

Ntuli said this on Monday morning last week at a Premier’s Crime Imbizo at Umzimkulu TVET College.

He added that students should join forces with communities and create their own student forums to fight crime in the colleges and surrounding areas.

Communities from different areas attended the imbizo to voice their concerns.

Ntuli said the main purpose of the imbizo was to encourage community policing and that crime cannot be fought by police alone.

“Community members, religious organisations, councillors, and businesses must play a role in fighting crime. I hope that today’s meeting will bring the youth together to help fight crime.”

Local police were also invited so that they could hear for themselves the needs of the people.

Among the issues discussed were the rape of the disabled and elderly in rural areas and the theft of cattle.

A community member, Bukhosibakhe Malovisa, said that cattle theft is rife, and after it is reported to police, they still don’t get their animals back.

Mbuso Ndaba, another resident, said there have been issues with disabled children in special schools.

“Some children who need special care have been molested. Also, we plead with police stations to have someone who can do sign language. We, as part of the disabled community, can have someone volunteering at the police station because it would make it easier for some of us to report cases.”

Ndaba said that if a deaf person goes in to report a case, they have to wait for long periods for someone with expertise in sign language.

Ntuli also mentioned that plans are in the pipeline to set
up a forensic laboratory in the province.

Previously, the Herald reported on cases where families have been waiting for up to five years to get DNA tests done for their deceased family members.

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